Thanks for the info guys. my brief has changed a good bit since i last posted. I'm researching peoples perspective of combat sports to try and identify problems when people start training in these sports. I study product design (in the netherlands but i just moved here from glasgow) (but also service and system design) and i started with a very open brief. Overall, i'm trying to improve people's experience, so whether that turns out to be a product (e.g. new gloves or something, new design of head protection etc) or a service i dont yet know. the whole people getting punched thing is really only when you take it to the next level, before that it's mostly technique and cardio, but then thats just my experience. But im trying to identify ways to improve the experience. What im mostly trying to find out, is what sucks about training and what could be improved. But cheers for the input guys.

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Thanks for the info guys. my brief has changed a good bit since i last posted. I'm researching peoples perspective of combat sports to try and identify problems when people start training in these sports. I study product design (in the netherlands but i just moved here from glasgow) (but also service and system design) and i started with a very open brief. Overall, i'm trying to improve people's experience, so whether that turns out to be a product (e.g. new gloves or something, new design of head protection etc) or a service i dont yet know. the whole people getting punched thing is really only when you take it to the next level, before that it's mostly technique and cardio, but then thats just my experience. But im trying to identify ways to improve the experience. What im mostly trying to find out, is what sucks about training and what could be improved. But cheers for the input guys.

No offence my friend but it seems that your perspective is coming from a different angle to what I would expect.

You are trying to identify why people don't participate, or give up doing combat sports early but really maybe your should look at why people DO the sport.

In any sport the grind is what makes you stronger, its part of the evolution of body and mind. The reality is that some people would like the idea of wearing a gold medal but would not do/understand a quarter of what is needed to earn it. Combat sports arn't for everyone, a lot of people like the idea of walking around confidently, being able to handle themselves in a fight and to brag and tell others that they are a fighter and in some occasions start trouble normally with someone they view as weaker in order to get a rush.

These people to not understand what the gold medal around the neck represents, they are in love with the idea but not the reality. You could view this as self image actualisation as opposed to self actualisation. Now put into the mix that the relatively new idea of EQUALITY, that everyone should be able to do what they want and you have a big market for those who want to be seen as a fighter but in reality will not be able to handle the pain or discomfort that comes with it.

So really in terms of trying to find out what 'sucks' about training in order to increase participation, might it be you will be decreasing the strength of that gene pool. The classic example of this currently is those people who walk round saying they are a boxer when all the actually do is boxercise!

My assumption would be that people who work hard for their sport are more grounded to natural laws, people who do things for image and to validate themselves are more materialistic, massive assumption I know but an idea all the same.

So find out what makes most of the people who work hard and stick in the sport different from people who give up, then educate and reinforce these principles, make people realise that yes its supposed to be hard, you will get a black eye, you will get injured, but this isn't a Wii, this isn't a computer game, you are a living thing and you potential is limitless! You may not ever become a champion but we all have the chance to achieve greatness.

'Don't pray for a lighter load, pray for stronger shoulders' That is of course how evolution works. Keep training hard!

If you put a limit on everything you do, physical or anything else. It will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.

No offence my friend but it seems that your perspective is coming from a different angle to what I would expect.

You are trying to identify why people don't participate, or give up doing combat sports early but really maybe your should look at why people DO the sport.

In any sport the grind is what makes you stronger, its part of the evolution of body and mind. The reality is that some people would like the idea of wearing a gold medal but would not do/understand a quarter of what is needed to earn it. Combat sports arn't for everyone, a lot of people like the idea of walking around confidently, being able to handle themselves in a fight and to brag and tell others that they are a fighter and in some occasions start trouble normally with someone they view as weaker in order to get a rush.

These people to not understand what the gold medal around the neck represents, they are in love with the idea but not the reality. You could view this as self image actualisation as opposed to self actualisation. Now put into the mix that the relatively new idea of EQUALITY, that everyone should be able to do what they want and you have a big market for those who want to be seen as a fighter but in reality will not be able to handle the pain or discomfort that comes with it.

So really in terms of trying to find out what 'sucks' about training in order to increase participation, might it be you will be decreasing the strength of that gene pool. The classic example of this currently is those people who walk round saying they are a boxer when all the actually do is boxercise!

My assumption would be that people who work hard for their sport are more grounded to natural laws, people who do things for image and to validate themselves are more materialistic, massive assumption I know but an idea all the same.

So find out what makes most of the people who work hard and stick in the sport different from people who give up, then educate and reinforce these principles, make people realise that yes its supposed to be hard, you will get a black eye, you will get injured, but this isn't a Wii, this isn't a computer game, you are a living thing and you potential is limitless! You may not ever become a champion but we all have the chance to achieve greatness.

'Don't pray for a lighter load, pray for stronger shoulders' That is of course how evolution works. Keep training hard!

Very helpful post thanks. The main thing I'm trying to do is to try and educate people more about what to expect as many people come into classes that are completely beyond their level and end up injuring someone or getting injured. But you are definately right about the different types of people. I have found a LOT of people who just can not handle it, some people who enjoy it but are scared of injury, and the rest are just hardcore! Thanks again.

Are Muay Thai and combat sports in general really under represented with competitors though?

If you're doing research (what for btw?) then surely the first thing you have to look at is what divides combat sports from other sports in terms of participation rate.

Is there a greater ratio of golf fans to golfers than there is kickboxing fans to kick boxers? Once you can prove there is a delta between the ratios is non combat sports to combat sports. Difficult figures to get a hold of probably but the only way you've got a starting point.

I think combat sports may be over subscribed with participants compared to mainstream sports. How many people watch football once a week but don't train or play football then compare that to Muay Thai.

Agreed. With combat sports, I think a greater % of the fan base participate in some form than in other sports.

Very helpful post thanks. The main thing I'm trying to do is to try and educate people more about what to expect as many people come into classes that are completely beyond their level and end up injuring someone or getting injured. But you are definately right about the different types of people. I have found a LOT of people who just can not handle it, some people who enjoy it but are scared of injury, and the rest are just hardcore! Thanks again.

No problem my friend. Didn't want my post to offend you or anything. Sounds like a really interesting project and I wish you well with it. Injury is definately a deterent, but its also part and parcel of training and competing so educating people is real positive. Keep working hard mate also keep training. In my experience qualitative research provides a great deal of insight which is often more applicable than stats. Keep at it!

If you put a limit on everything you do, physical or anything else. It will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.